Automobile spring-clamp.



0. T. HAWKINS. v

AUTOMOBILE SPRING CLAMP. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 1, 1911.

1,009,410. Patented N0v.21, 1911.

$ 4M- W 9M5 CULUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.,wAs1|1NGTON. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OWEN T. HAWKINS, OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE SPRING-CLAMP.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, OWEN T. HAWKINS, a citizen of the United Stateg residing at Pomona, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Spring-Glamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in clamps, and the objects thereof are to provide a device of this character which is particularly adapted as an emergency repair clamp for semi-elliptic springs of motor vehicles and the like; and to provide a device of the character described embodying a quickly reversible jaw, specifically, a

- hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

In said drawings :Figure l is a perspective view of the clamp showing its application to a semi-elliptic spring. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the device, illustrating the reverse position assumed by the stationary jaw. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the stationary jaw detached.

Referring more particularly to the drawings for a detail description of my inven tion, the numeral 5 designates a U-shaped frame or support, the parallel sides or legs 6 of which are of duplicate construction and extent, and are provided on their inner faces with longitudinally disposed guide-ways 7 for the reception of the rabbeted portions 8 of the movable'jaw 9, operated through the medium of the screw 10 in a well-known manner. The guide-ways 7 terminate at the upper ends of the sides 6, and at the lower ends, merge into rectangular shaped open-' ings or eyes 11, the cross sectional area of which is preferably greater than the corresponding area of the said guide-ways to accommodate a stationary jaw, as 12. This jaw comprises a block having a medial recess 13 with stepped or corrugated walls 14,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 1, 1911.

Patented Nov.'21, 1911.

Serial No. 605,987.

which formation is continued above the plane of the body of the jaw to present a pair of shoulders, as 15; and the opposite side of the jaw is rabbeted to provide similar alined shoulders 16/ It frequently happens that one of the leaf-springs of a motor car is broken when the car is at a remote distance from any point where permanentrepairs can be made.

When such a contingency arises, it has been the practice to jack up the spring and place a block under the bed of the car over'the axle, which repair, besides taking considerable time and being troublesome, is unsatisfactory because the weight of the car-body is transferred directly .onto the axle with the result that the spring becomes totally inactive and the car must make the remainder of the trip minus the resilient connection between the body and axle of the vehicle. If my device were accessible, the hereinbefore noted disadvantages could be readily overcome. Assuming that a breakage or fracture occurs under similar oircumstances, the frame 5 of the clamp is placed over the spring, as exhibited in Fig. .1, the stationary jaw 12 inserted through the openings 11 on one side of the spr'ing and the movable jaw brought to bear on the opposite side of the spring and tightened so that the latter will be positively reinforced at the point of breakage, and thus permit the car to continue its .trip on the spring. The

movable jaw is suitably connected to the.

body of the frame 5 by a chain 17 and may be readily reversed to accommodate springs of different sizes, and .in either position the shoulders 15 and 16 engage the inner side of the side pieces immediately adjacent the openings and preclude lateral displacement of the stationary jaw. Another feature of importance is the fact that the openings 11 have a greater longitudinal extent than the transverse area of the stationary jaw, thus permitting the latter to be quickly removed from either side of the device. It will also appear obvious that the device can be used in any position, that is, inverted so that the movable jaw will be on the top of the:

spring instead of on the bottom.

There are a number of advantages resulting from this construction and arrangement of parts, among which are to'be found the following: (a) Owing to the fact that the ways 7 lead into the openings or eyes 11, the presence of the removable member 12 within the openings preventsthe member 9 from dropping out and being lost, although said member 9 is readily removable through the opening when the member 12 is absent, thus causing the member 12 to act as a retaining member for member 9; (b) no adjustment of parts is necessary in assembling, the removal of member 12 permitting the frame to be passed over the spring, the latter passing between the legs 6, the screw 10 being moved to permit member 9 to move toward the head of the frame a distance sufiicient to permit a free insertion of the member 12 through the openings 11, an operation which can be had without necessitating a clamping of the spring members together in order to assemble the parts; (a) there are no parts which can be readily lost, the parts being all of considerable size, and as the screw 10 serves only as an adjusting screw, it may be of any desired size with threads which would not be liable to be stripped by the; sudden and excessive pressures placed there on when in position; (03) the particular edge configuration of the member 12 and espe-j cially the presence of the abutments 16,- eliminates any requirement of the use of parts requiring adjustment, such as screwthreads, etc.

What is claimed is and adjacent the free ends of the legs, said latter member being normally stationary and positionable only by movements in the plane of its length.

the legs of the frame, and a member re movably carried by the frame within and adjacent the free ends of the legs, said lat-.

ter member being normally stationary and positionable only by movements in the plane of its length, said stationary member and legs having permanent complemental means for preventing longitudinal movement of the member when in normal position.

8. A clamp device adapted for use as a repair clamp for vehicle springs comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame, a member carried by and movable longitudinally of the legs of the frame, and a member removably carried by the frame within and adjacent the free ends of the legs, said latter member being normally stationary and positionable only by movements in the plane of its length, said stationary member having abutments cooperating with the permanent leg configuration to prevent longitudinal movement of the member when in normal position.

4. A clamp device adapted for use as a repair. clamp for vehicle springs comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame, a member carried by and movable longitudinally of the legs of the frame, and a member removably carried by the frame within and adjacent the free ends of the legs, said latter member being normally stationary and positionable "only by movements in the plane of its length, said stationary member having opposing edges differing in configuration, either edge being positionable in opposition to the movable member.

5. A clamp device adapted for use as a repair clamp for vehicle springs comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame, a member carried by and movable longitudinally of the legs of the frame, and a member removably carried by the frame within and adjacent the free ends of the legs, said lat ter member being normally stationary and positionable only by movements in the plane of its length, said stationary member having opposing edges differing in configuration, either edge being positionable in opf position to the movable member, each of g said edges having abutments cooperating 1. A clamp device adapted for use as a; repair clamp for vehicle springs comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame, a member; carried by and movable longitudinally of and positively held against lateral move-:' ment by the legs of the frame, and a mem-, ber removably carried by the frame within.

with the legs of the frame to prevent longitudinal movement of the member when in normal position.

6. A clamp device adapted for use as a repair clamp for vehicle springs comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame having its legs expanded laterally at their free ends, the expanded portions each having an opening, said openings being in alinement, a movable member mounted in ways within 3 the legs of the frame and movable in the di- 2. A clamp device adapted for use as a repair clamp for vehicle springs comprising, 5 a substantially U-shaped frame, a member rection of length of the legs, and a member removably insertible within and bridging said openings, said member having its ends of reduced width to form abutments, said abutments cooperating with the legs to prevent longitudinal movement of the member when in position.

7. A clamp device adapted for use as a repair clamp for vehicle springs comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame having its legs expanded laterally at their free ends, the expanded portions each having an opening, said openings being in alinement, a movable member mounted in ways within the legs of the frame and movable in the direction of length of the legs, said ways leading to said openings, and a member removably insertible within and bridging said openings, said member having its ends of reduced width to form abutments, said abutments cooperating with the legs to prevent longitudinal movement of the member when in position, the stationary member when in position preventing removal of the movable member.

8. A clamp device adapted for use as a repair clamp for vehicle springs comprising, a substantially U-shaped frame, a member carried by and movable longitudinally of the legs of the frame, and a member removably carried by the frame Within and adjacent the free ends of the legs, said latter member being normally stationary and positionable only by movements in the plane of its length, said stationary member having opposing edges differing in configuration, either edge being positionable in opposition to the movable member, one of said edges being stepped to provide recesses of different lengths.

In testimon whereof I affix my signature in presence 0 two Witnesses.

OWEN T. HAWKINS. Witnesses: Y LYNN S. BIRDsALL, C. A. RIPPY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

